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Johnny Wilkinson



Jesus Gul

Well-known member
Feb 23, 2004
5,523
As for the Harlequins cheating? I don't see your point - they've been caught and are in massive trouble - .

It really shocked me. Rugby is a sport played by solicitors and policemen (generalism, I know). Such pre-meditive cheating...great...bit like all those masseurs on the tour de france with their pills and thrills...but the dude with the fake blood all over his moey made it all very visual. Throw the book at em I say.
 




Barrel of Fun

Abort, retry, fail
More likely learned at whatever public school mummy and daddy sent him too.

Lord Wandsworth College. I am not sure why this thread or his interview deserved a disparaging remark towards his education. Says more about the poster than it does about Wilkinson.

He comes across as a very rounded man with talismanic work ethics to get where he is today and to recover from a series of debilitating injuries that may have forced many men to retire.
 


User removed 4

New member
May 9, 2008
13,331
Haywards Heath
Lord Wandsworth College. I am not sure why this thread or his interview deserved a disparaging remark towards his education. Says more about the poster than it does about Wilkinson.

He comes across as a very rounded man with talismanic work ethics to get where he is today and to recover from a series of debilitating injuries that may have forced many men to retire.
Absolutely spot on .
 


Icy Gull

Back on the rollercoaster
Jul 5, 2003
72,015
It really shocked me. Rugby is a sport played by solicitors and policemen (generalism, I know). Such pre-meditive cheating...great...bit like all those masseurs on the tour de france with their pills and thrills...but the dude with the fake blood all over his moey made it all very visual. Throw the book at em I say.

The guy got banned for a year, their top class coach quit, was he involved? :shrug: and there's more to come no doubt. I think the book has been thrown
 


Common as Mook

Not Posh as Fook
Jul 26, 2004
5,644
Lord Wandsworth College. I am not sure why this thread or his interview deserved a disparaging remark towards his education. Says more about the poster than it does about Wilkinson.

He comes across as a very rounded man with talismanic work ethics to get where he is today and to recover from a series of debilitating injuries that may have forced many men to retire.

Agreed. Your education means f*** all if you don't have decent parents and decent moral fibre imbedded into you at early age.
 




ATFC Seagull

Aberystwyth Town FC
Jul 27, 2004
5,375
(North) Portslade
The guy got banned for a year, their top class coach quit, was he involved? :shrug: and there's more to come no doubt. I think the book has been thrown

We should know today and tommorow. As it stands, Quins got off lightly as a team and so did the staff involved, but Tom Williams got a 1 year ban.

However, he is anticipated to testify against the management and medical staff, which seems likely to result in more individuals being punished and the club being expelled from this year's Heineken. Which in terms of percentages is probably worth more to them than the Champions League is to Premiership football clubs.

I hope Williams gets his punishment severely reduced, he can't claim innocence, but seems like he was put in a very difficult position by some very well-respected names.

But quite how this saga reflects badly on rugby as a sport, I am unsure - it was very rare and is being dealt with.
 


Lady Whistledown

Well-known member
NSC Patron
Jul 7, 2003
47,855
It's one thing taking a few language lessons, another entirely to embrace the culture to the extent that you're confident enough to take and answer questions fluently in front of a live audience of thousands. We're generally so shit at languages in this country that anyone who makes the effort earns my respect.

Fair play to him- I would bet that I know about as much Spanish as David Beckham does, and considerably more Italian, despite never having had lessons in either.
 


Martlet

Well-known member
Jul 15, 2003
689
It's not as though he learned to speak French in three months though is it? Agree though, nice to have a decent ambassador for Blighty abroad, rather than the usual Beckham trotting out a few stock Spanish phrases scenario.


He actually has learned French in three months!

Having come across Wilkinson through family connections, he's the most driven person I've ever met/experienced. As well as French, he decided to learn the guitar from scratch - and just a few months on was playing good enough for a decent band.

He took the same approach to goal-kicking.

Mind, he doesn't get out much.....
 




strings

Moving further North...
Feb 19, 2006
9,969
Barnsley
He actually has learned French in three months!

Having come across Wilkinson through family connections, he's the most driven person I've ever met/experienced. As well as French, he decided to learn the guitar from scratch - and just a few months on was playing good enough for a decent band.

He took the same approach to goal-kicking.

Mind, he doesn't get out much.....

I can believe that - I saw a documentary about him a few years back, there is no doubt that once he decides he is going to do something he will try again and again until he does it. He came accross as a thoroughly nice bloke, but very obsessive!
 




Silent Bob

( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)
Dec 6, 2004
22,172
Lord Wandsworth College. I am not sure why this thread or his interview deserved a disparaging remark towards his education. Says more about the poster than it does about Wilkinson.
So what does it say about you that you read it as disparaging?
 






wehatepalace

Limbs
NSC Patron
Apr 27, 2004
7,347
Pease Pottage
What about that Harlequins player with the vial of fake blood?...

oh it's OK as rugby players call the ref sir whereas football players occasionally swear
I'd say that is a very rare thing to happen, I've certainly never heard of anything like this happening before.
I'm a Quins fan and I've been a little dismayed and embarrassed by the whole incident. It has taken the gloss off of what was a great season for us and the worst thing is we have lost one of the best coaches in the game, who I know would have one us the title.
I have also heard that Williams had his mouth cut with a scalpel in the treatment room to "prove" the cut, If true then we deserve to have the book thrown at us despicable behaviour :nono:
 


Dr Q

Well-known member
Jul 29, 2004
1,860
Cobbydale
As a Bath fan, I'm quite relived about the Quins issue, its taken the focus off of our cocaine issues!!!
Its a shame Richards went, as I have a lot of respect for him, but I guess somone had to fall on their sword. The year ban on Williams was way out of order, as it looks like he was just following very ill advised orders.
Hope whatever the outcome, theres not too much long term damage at Quins, best of luck for this season (but not against Bath!)
 






I'd say that is a very rare thing to happen, I've certainly never heard of anything like this happening before.
I'm a Quins fan and I've been a little dismayed and embarrassed by the whole incident. It has taken the gloss off of what was a great season for us and the worst thing is we have lost one of the best coaches in the game, who I know would have one us the title.
I have also heard that Williams had his mouth cut with a scalpel in the treatment room to "prove" the cut, If true then we deserve to have the book thrown at us despicable behaviour :nono:

Williams ban has been reduced to 4 months but Dean Richards has now been banned from coaching for 3 years, the club physio for 2 years and the club's fine increased to £259,000. Richards lives locally in Dunsfold and also coached one of the Cranleigh Mini Rugby teams last season (U10); I wonder if he'll be allowed to continue?
The decision about whether to expell Harlequins from the Heineken Cup has yet to be taken.
 


At the end of this piece, there's a brief interview in Italian with our very own Liam Brady:-

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But here's a better Brady interview:-

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wehatepalace

Limbs
NSC Patron
Apr 27, 2004
7,347
Pease Pottage
Williams ban has been reduced to 4 months but Dean Richards has now been banned from coaching for 3 years, the club physio for 2 years and the club's fine increased to £259,000. Richards lives locally in Dunsfold and also coached one of the Cranleigh Mini Rugby teams last season (U10); I wonder if he'll be allowed to continue?
The decision about whether to expell Harlequins from the Heineken Cup has yet to be taken.

I'm gutted ! Every team we play will now think we are cheating bastards, I am embarrassed to call myself a Quins fan, we have shamed the whole game of rugby :down:
As for Richards I don't think they will even let him coach the kids although it will be a shame as they will gain so much from his experience and knowledge.
 


Jesus Gul

Well-known member
Feb 23, 2004
5,523
Quins are heavily involved in the Abu Dhabi rugby schene - I guess through their sponsorship with Etihad. The local club now wears their shirts and is called Abu Dhabi Harlequins. Loads of kids teams too. Funnily enough this story hasn't made the headlines in the local rag!

Went to 'an evening with Dean Richards' at the Al Raha Beach Hotel last year. Lovely food although the redcurrant jus on my pud tasted a bit funny now I think about it
 


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